Greater London · London and the South East
Hackney Roof Survey
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in Hackney from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Flashings that have come away from the wall
- Ridge tiles that have lifted or moved
- Water stains on rafters and ceiling joists
Surveys for landlords and agents in Hackney
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps when budgeting.
About our roof survey in Hackney
There are three levels of survey: a Basic Survey from £150, a Standard Survey from £250 and a Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. Basic is a visual inspection with photos and written recommendations. Standard and Premium go further, such as moisture detection, a structural check, thermal imaging and a drone where it applies. Each one comes with a written report. We survey clay and concrete tiles, the roof space and natural slate, and common reasons people get in touch are condensation or damp timbers in the loft and blocked, sagging or leaking gutters.
London has a great many flats in converted houses and purpose-built blocks, where the roof is typically a shared part of the building. Whoever looks after the building needs a clear picture of the roof, chimneys and gutters. A defect on a shared roof can reach more than one flat. With a written report and photos, everyone can plan from the same facts.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Place
- Hackney (E9, E8, E3, E5)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Flat roof coverings
A felt roof frequently lasts around 15 to 20 years, EPDM rubber around 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30. We check its condition and the signs of age.
Chimney stacks
Damp on a chimney breast inside often starts with the stack outside. We look for the likely route in.
What a roof survey looks like in Hackney
Inner London’s Victorian and Edwardian terraces often have Welsh slate roofs. A butterfly roof with a central valley gutter, tucked behind a parapet wall, is common on these houses. In a house like that, shared stacks, party-wall upstands and lead flashings all need looking at as far as they can be seen. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. About 0.3 miles north-west lies Sutton House, a reminder of how long the area around Hackney has been built on. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Trees in and around Clapton Park shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. Shop and office owners around Hackney Walk may find that knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies.
Hackney is about 4 miles north-east of London, in Greater London. Hackney is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and South East England. Hackney is one of the places in Greater London where we work.
Every address in E9, E8, E3 and E5 is covered for roof surveys. Whether your property is on Homerton High Street, Primrose Square and St John's Church Road or a nearby road, we can help. With the A107 and B113 close by, Hackney is easy for us to reach for roof surveys. We also cover the places around Hackney: Homerton (1 mile north), Lower Clapton (1 mile north), Hackney Central (1 mile west), London Fields (1 mile south-west) and Cambridge Heath (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover London (4 miles south-west), City of Westminster (5 miles south-west), Marylebone (5 miles south-west), Kensington (7 miles south-west), St Pancras (3 miles west) and Walthamstow (3 miles north).
What’s near Hackney
In Hackney, that means homes and buildings near The Urswick School, Clapton Park and Chesham Arms, among other places. There is a railway station in Hackney itself: Homerton station. A little further out are Hackney Walk (less than half a mile north-west) and Cell Project Space (0.9 miles south-west). Open spaces near Hackney include Tower Hill and Old Ford Island.
Hackney: your questions answered
Can a landlord with a rental near Homerton station book a roof survey?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. Just call 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the building.
Is my home in Hackney listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do you carry out asbestos surveys?
No. Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999, so older buildings may have it. Our report notes any materials that might, and recommends a specialist asbestos surveyor looks at them.
How do I arrange a roof survey in Hackney?
Just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day.
Do you go up on the roof?
Where it is safe, yes. Much of the survey is done from ground level, upper windows and the loft space. The Premium Survey adds a drone where it applies.
When will the report arrive?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Each report includes photographs.
How long will you be at the property?
On site, it usually takes an hour or two for most homes, depending on how many separate roofs there are. Report times depend on the package.
Why get it checked now?
Roof faults rarely stay the same size. One slipped slate lets water reach the battens and underlay, and wet timber starts to decay. Finding it early keeps the work smaller. A hidden valley or parapet gutter on a London house can hold water for weeks before anyone notices. When the stain finally shows, the damage underneath is frequently older than it looks.
We offer three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What you get with us
- Surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
Signs you need a roof survey in Hackney
What’s under the slates or tiles is as important as the coverings themselves. Breathable roofing membranes came into use in the UK in the late 1990s, so many older roofs have bitumen felt underlay, and some very old roofs have no underlay at all. Felt that has torn or perished stops doing its job.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Gaps in the roof where coverings have gone
- Flashings that have come away from the wall
- Loose chimney pots
- Valley linings that have cracked or split
If you let a flat or house near Homerton station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
What to check before booking
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Will the report include photos?
- What the survey will not cover
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
What we do, step by step
When we arrive, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely. Most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours for an ordinary house roof, and longer if there are extensions, dormers or several chimneys. For a visit in Hackney, parking and access are the things to plan: let us know about permits, visitor bays or off-street space, which floor the property is on and how to get into the loft. We then look at everything that’s safely in view from ground level, windows, the loft and, where it’s safe, the roof itself.
- We start by hearing what you’d like checked and why.
- We agree a date, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect from ground level, from windows, from the roof space and from the roof where safe.
- Slates or tiles, ridges, hips, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are all examined and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Getting a price
Unsure which package suits your roof? It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.